Bitwise Chief Investment Officer: The Crypto Market Faces Three Major Challenges in 2026

Foresight News reports, according to The Block, that Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan analyzed that the crypto market started 2026 on a good note, but whether it can continue to rise depends on overcoming three key obstacles. Hougan stated that Bitcoin and Ethereum have both increased by about 7% since the beginning of the year, while more speculative assets like Dogecoin have seen even larger gains. However, prices retreated on Wednesday, raising questions about whether the upward trend can continue into the new year.

The first obstacle he pointed out has been cleared, which is avoiding large-scale market volatility similar to the market crash event on October 10 last year, when at least $20 billion worth of crypto futures positions were liquidated. He mentioned that although concerns about large market makers or hedge funds being forced to close positions had pressured prices last year, these worries have gradually diminished as the year-end has passed.

In Hougan’s view, the second obstacle relates to U.S. legislation, particularly a crypto market structure bill called the “Clarity Act.” The bill is advancing in Congress and is expected to be revised in the Senate on January 15, although disagreements remain on issues such as DeFi regulation, stablecoin incentives, and political conflicts of interest. The final factor is the broader stock market. Hougan stated that the performance of cryptocurrencies does not necessarily depend on a booming stock market, but he warned that a stock market crash could drag down all risk assets in the short term.